Six-Lane Road Project Faces Delays, Stakeholders Urge Acceleration

Bhaktapur. Local levels and concerned bodies have expressed concern over the delay in the construction work of the six-lane road project being expanded from Suryabinayak in Bhaktapur to Dhulikhel in Kavrepalanchok. In a discussion held in Banepa between the project construction entrepreneurs and stakeholders, emphasis was placed on accelerating construction work to ensure smooth traffic movement for passengers before the monsoon. In the discussion, the construction side has committed to bringing the service lanes and auxiliary roads in the Banepa area of the road expansion into operation without obstruction. Necessary construction work will be expedited to immediately bring into operation the service lanes and auxiliary roads that have been obstructed around the Punyamata Khola bridge and Bhainsipati Khola bridge in Banepa. Similarly, to prevent waterlogging in the Pulbazar area during the monsoon, work will be undertaken to deepen, clean, and conserve the Punyamata Khola. Preparations are underway to promptly complete the necessary structural work for the safety of the bridge over the river. Stakeholders have emphasized that even if the main road cannot be fully blacktopped immediately, at least the service track should be kept operational and safe. Concerns were expressed about the disruption to daily commutes and increased risk of accidents due to the mismanagement and dusty condition of the road construction. According to the project, the overall physical progress of the Suryabinayak-Dhulikhel road expansion is currently around 70 percent. Although preparations are underway to blacktop the main lane, work has been affected due to a shortage of bitumen. The project has stated that efforts are being made to manage the necessary materials. The approximately 15.8-kilometer-long road project was started three years ago. The pace of construction has slowed down in the last two months. Construction companies claim that work has been affected due to a shortage of construction materials, price hikes, and an unfavorable market situation. The target of completing most of the work within the current fiscal year, which was set earlier, now appears to be affected. Photo: Bijen Amatya/Nepal Photo Library